Apple’s war with the EU over the €13 billion tax demand will shortly reach new levels of controversy, despite the Irish government’s assistance in supporting their objection. I venture to suggest until there is a water-tight tax policy for all EU members, Apple should be allowed to exploit its benefits. Morally it is probably not right, but we have been down this road and it’s up to global legislators to sort the situation out or there will be hell to pay, resulting in Apple spreading its pleasure elsewhere.

This whole commercial rating system needs sorting out. It is archaic. How can it be possible be right to rate businesses entirely on the value of their property in a digital age, where technology will continue to be more rampant by the day? Surely Sajid Javid, his Civil Service advisors and the government know this? The whole system needs revamping and hauling in to the modern age.

I must say I am very surprised that ‘Snap’s’ entourage are coming over to London for a road show. Not that many moons ago, I think Facebook offered Evan Spiegel, the founder, $3 billion for SnapChat. I would describe myself as anything approaching the fountain of all knowledge on technology, but raising money at between $14-16 a share puts a valuation of $20-$25 billion for an app that has yet to make money. That price tag seems to have a very rich valuation attached to it. With the quality of advisors – Goldman and Morgan Stanley – One ventures to suggest there is mileage in this company. Let’s hope there is a sense of realism, a lack of avarice and the required luck needed that market conditions will be conducive for punters to enter the fray.

Having supported Kraft Heinz in an abortive attempt to buy Unilever, it might just be that the Warren Buffett/3G Capital juggernaut, which has a $15 billion war chest at its disposal, may sortie again in to the food market, with perhaps an appetite for the likes of Kellogg, Campbell Soups or General Mills. They are also invested in Burger King and AB InBev. It is also felt that Kraft Heinz may go back for Mondolez to whom they sold Cadbury.

Having enjoyed the President’s Day public holiday on Monday, US stock market luminaries returned to the Street of Dreams in a positive frame of mind without to many Trump tweets and the appointment of a new head of National Security – Lieut Gen McMaster. Retail captured most of the headline with Wal-Mart posting its best results for four years. Shares rose by 3%. There were also good efforts from Home Depot (+1.41%) and Macy’s (unch). I was beginning to wonder if the US had a treasury Secretary as the silence has been deafening. Low and behold yesterday Steven Mnuchin rose from his slumber and urged the IMF to use its surveillance powers to police the exchange-rate policies of its members, part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to challenge some of America’s biggest trading partners. Its good to know he’s alive and on the case. I think it is also imperative that we hear something very positive about infrastructure spending and corporate tax cuts before too long. Otherwise investors could take flight. These stock markets have come a long way since 8th November 2016.